Titus not giving up on ring around valley

Larry Henry

Friday, Aug. 15, 1997 | 9:46 a.m.

After meeting with county officials, Sen. Dina Titus concedes her plan to create growth boundaries around Las Vegas is on a rickety life support system -- but she still isn't ready to pull the plug.

Titus said chances are 50-50 that she'll scrap the idea because she'd have to circulate four initiative petitions to put growth boundaries on the 1998 ballot.

"That would be a bookkeeping nightmare," said Titus, D-Las Vegas.

Titus, joined by Democratic Party official Lindsey Jydstrup, met Thursday with Clark County Voter Registrar Kathryn Ferguson and Deputy District Attorney Mary-Anne Miller.

Ferguson told Titus she'd have to collect signatures from 15 percent of the voters who participated in last year's general election in Clark County, Las Vegas, North Las Vegas and Henderson -- on four different petitions.

The number of signatures required is 22,568, with the bulk having to come from unincorporated Clark County.

"A lot of people don't know whether they live in the city or county," Titus said.

Titus introduced legislation at the 1997 session to develop growth boundaries, but she couldn't muster enough votes in a Senate committee to move the bill to the floor for a vote.

At the conclusion of the session last month, Titus vowed to circulate a petition to let voters decide whether to restrict growth in outlying areas of Clark County.

But after meeting with Ferguson, Titus said several barriers stand in her way.

In addition to having to collect signatures on four ballots, she'd have to win in each locality, while those who oppose the plan could beat her by shooting it down in one place.

"That's a real discouragement," Titus said.

Several Clark County commissioners have said they'd fight Titus' plan by arguing that growth boundaries create urban density and drive up housing costs.

Titus said she might circulate a countywide advisory petition urging the County Commission to address growth boundaries.

She said she'll decide which route to take by Labor Day.